Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-02-04
/ We came away, as we did from the Brit.
Ish Museum feeling like tine LITTLE hov Who

nave examined more liesqrely and reneni-
bered afterwards. Truly the spirit within
US was willing, but time and capacity were
limited. A trip of three months through
Europe, like the visits to the Centennial, !
brings you home with the consciousness
that there are one or two things which some
one else saw and you did not.
Ameng those who visited these interest
ing places on. that day was an American
party VINO took notes so vigorously that it
positively fatigued us, and they could have
had no time to sec ANYTHING, thew were so
busy writing. 1t seemed like doing without
fresh fruit in its season In order to can It for
winter use, and then finding, upon opening
II, that Its best flavor was all gone. SirWal.
ter was devoted 10 his home, and hundreds
q trees surrounding II were planted by his
own hands,
Leaving Abbottsford, which, by the way,
was so-callod by Its proprietor because he
loved to connect himself with the old All.
BOTS of tho vicinity and their tinleS We
afpye AisNnt tnEee miles u Dry Ell Abby.
N sNfy III iVSAxH TIT. N4Ht9 rf.xnN kssntrk
tllefe than Rlelfnae II was built about M
teen years later by the EIaIyburtons, from
whom Sir Walter Scott claims direct descent,
aud for which reason he Is here inferred
His tomb Is, Of course, the principal point Of
interest to visitors, and is kept In good order
A saturaton OF SCOTS writings would not
be bad preparation fora visit here, though,
for that matter, SO many saturations are
Leeded for different points In Europe that,
had we taken them all, we should have been
too limp to stand. | am not sure that 1t is
h6dtfhy to see so much in short time II pro-
duces mental voracity, which is worse
than the physical, because it can never be
satisfied, and even when one has taken in
all that is possible there is still danger of
cerebral dyspepsia, fer the brain cannot hall
digest IL.
Leaving Dryburgh we drove back to Mel.
rose, where we took the train to Carlisle,
arriving before dark and resting there for
the night. Carlisle Is put down in the guide
book as an "old border.foriress in the time
of the warfare between England and Scot.
land, situated on rising ground This last,
we proved, when, finding no vehicle, we had
to climb to the hotel-the ground is very
"rislng" Here again poor Mary of Scots
took refuge in her fight from Scotland, and
here Charles the Pretcndcr was proclaimed
king. Ofcourse there is an old castle aud
cathedral, In the latter lie the remains Of
our old friend DIR. Paey whose "hIoral
Philosophy" and evidences of Christiaui-
ty'' were our text books, Sue, at DIR. G. 5.
Leaving Carlisle by morning train, we ar
rived at London that night, stopping Mt
Leeds for dinner. And here began our first
glimpse OF England. The aspect OF the
country through which we passed is varied,
first partaking of the rugged nature Of Scot
land, with barren and mountainous scenery,
but, as Is always the case in approaching a
large city, improving in beauty and cutiva
ton as we drew near 10 London. The
matched cottages began to give place 10
more substantial roofs, aud red tiles appear,
cd. The grass, too, was more beautiful
green, and the fields were full of the bril-
liant red poppy, which seems TO take the
place Of our white daisy, The wild flowers
all over the British Isles are particularly
beautiful, owing no doubt to the moisture
In the air. And everywhere were those
well.kept English hedges, about which we
hear so often-the hawthorn hedge, trimmed
like ours OF Usage orange. These division
lines add 10 the beauty Of the face Of the
country, instead of detracting from II as do
our ugly wooden fences Look g a bare.
crooked tree In winter and then again note
II when covered with its beanlifu foliage in
summer and you appreciate just the differ.
cnce. We also saw many iron fences, round
iron, with iron posts, looking much like our
10 look more like those at home, though
these were mostly on the grand old estates,
and had well cared for look, as though
they were not 80 plentiful as here.
But NJ last we reached London, and were
driven at once TO Westminster Palace Hotel
very large building close by the Parlla-
ment House and Westminster Abbey, where
our mail from home awaited as
Only those between whom and the dear
ones at home the ocean has rolled can quite
understand what IL Is 10 get Il package of
letters which have been accommodating for
days, and the cagerness with which the
latest ones are broken open and devOurel
before the earlier ones can DC calmly en-
jOyed. Sometimes the news would be two
weeks old, as all pur mails were sent 10 our
London banker, and forwarded by him a.
certain points In advance Of Us, and we never
quite knew what might have happened since
those letters were written. The only thing
we could do was 10 adhere TO eur motto:
"Never trouble about trouble, until trouble
comes" otherwise we should have been in
a state Of anxiety destructive Of all pleasure
In the trip.
Westminster Palace Hotel is a stately,
gloomy looking place, English all over, from
its dingy gray outside 10 It's whlte-capped
HEnglish 'ouse-maid who heyidently didn't
like HAmericans, and its wellcooked roast
beef II Is conveniently located for strangers,
but too dull place for Americans who like
light and air and 10 hear an occasional
laugh. Our first visit of course was 10 West
minister Abbey, and hereswas another place
for an attack Of the indigestion | have men-
tioned--so much 10 "cram" in short time.
We wanted 10 know every bit of English
hn Ina of ia of Nlp
mandy 10 the present Queen. IL you are
not better posted than we were, Sue, you
will not be unwilling 10 be told that this
grand old cdifice, now six hundred years
old, was begun In little church, by Sebert,
King Of the Saxons, 604 A. ID. IL was de-
stroyed once or twice and rebuilt, then es-
tablished as an Abbey by Edward the Con-
lessor, whose tomb we saw, and finally re-
bull. again in its present form by Henry
VII, various additions having since been
made, among them the Towers built by Sir
Christopher Wren, who lmmortaiized him
sol. in 81. Pauls Cathedral. Here we at
tended service aud afterwards saw the
building itself, with its "city of the dead,
shown through by poor old man who must
remember great many Of It's occupants,
and who told his story as though wound
up 10 run only 80 long, and who stopped
when through 50 suddenly that we almost
heard whir.r-r, rs though the machinery
had run down.
The "Poets' Corner" greatly interested US,
aud here VIC saw niche occupied by bust
of our American poet, Longiellow, the only
foreigner ever thus honored. Some one had
decorated II with flowers. The slab In the
flosr marked simply "Charles Dickens" also
had lying upon II laurel wreath, the only
tombs us,distinguished. In another chapel
were the remains OF Queen Elizabeth. There
she lay In marble, ruff and all, but some rslic
hunters had taken away several Of her fin
gers. In another chantry was fine monu-
ment 10 Mary OF Scots, which | was glad TO
sec was as far as possible from that Of her
cruel cousin--you know there is a Fitness
Of things" But IL will not do 10 mention
any moro, where all are so noteworthy
Another interesting object was the "Coro-
nation Chair" used by all the soyerelgns
since the time of Edward. There is daily
service in the Cathedral, which seems TO be
always open, and repairs are still going ON.
But shall have 10 give you another letter
ON London, and then will not tell you half
that would interest you. Our next visit was
10 the Tower Of London-truly place Of
horrors Strange that some who were judged
worthy Of death In the Tower were still cen.